Video Interview with Maarten de Witte, Hearts on Fire

[pricescope]

We had great pleasure talking to Maarten de Witte, the director of research at Hearts on Fire...Hope you'll enjoy his insight and story how he had cut the diamond for his wife.

1. Part 1: Retrospect about diamond grading.
2. Part 2: How Maarten had made engagement ring for his wife and how diamonds become legendary.
3. Part 3: Looking at ideal Tolcowsky and slightly shallow cut stones.

try this link to play all the clips. (Apple users can also try Windows Media Player for Mac OS X)

 

[strmrdr]

You have a direct download link?
The streams are unwatchable on this slow computer.

 

[pricescope]

sure.

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

 

[He Scores]

What an enjoyable way to visit with an old friend. Maarten and I go back a long way to diamond cutting school where at one time he and I were "bench partners", where two cutters shared one scaife or wheel. One of the things that Maarten was festidious about, indeed anal, was the care of the wheel, which we see today as being of utmost importance with the way labs are beginning to look at finish.

It didn''t surprise me one bit that Maarten picked an non-H&A stone....describing the zero cut as having dark areas. This is a caveat that many old school cutters look for in the performance of a diamond....the very same reason that "bowties" are a nuisance in fancies. In fact, I was once asked to post my pics on here of such and perhaps I will.

I think part III cuts to the chase about buying cut in a diamond. There is no way, that anyone can consistantly see the various nuances of cut with the neked eye.

Consumers can compare a few diamonds, decide which one they like the "looks" of but will always want to know...."how well is it cut?"

When I did my research on how trades people examined cut, I did not MAKE them look at it in any one particular way...I gave them three parcel papers each with a stone in it, and to examine cut, most of them went to examine it with a loupe.

I always told my customers that looking at cut with the neked eye, is like buying a car from across the street. It''s like buying a house from the curb without going in.

Maarten''s a great guy...good interview Gary.


Bill Bray
Diamond Cutter, not Wizard.

 

[strmrdr]

part one and 3 are kewl
the link for part 2 downloads part 3.

 

[pricescope]

thanks, should be fixed now

 

[Kaleigh]

Thank you PS, I really enjoyed watching the video's and hearing Maarten's commentary on the stones, the industry, grading labs etc... Maarten came across as someone who is so genuine and it was a pleasure to hear what he had to say. It's all in the cut for sure. Job well done, and thanks for sharing this with us!!!

 

[Regular Guy]

Date: 10/1/2006 11:23:42 PM
Author: Kaleigh
Thank you PS, I really enjoyed watching the video''s and hearing Maarten''s commentary on the stones, the industry, grading labs etc... Maarten came across as someone who is so genuine and it was a pleasure to hear what he had to say. It''s all in the cut for sure. Job well done, and thanks for sharing this with us!!!

Ditto. Leonid, Garry, you''re bringing, through this series of videos, diamond "celebrities" into our home, and making the foreign more familiar. Many thanks.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

Nice words Bill - small world !!!!!

Ira and Kaliegh, that is exactly what we set out to accomplish with these interviews - simply alow important people behind the scenes to be met in a relaxed and casual manner so that you can all meet and understand them.

Maarten is a very relaxed guy with a wonderful commonsense approach to diamonds. He also is one of the industries leading sales trainers (HoF university) and consumer educators (The Diamond Wizard). We first met in Moscow April 2004 when he attended the first Diamond Cut conference on behalf of HoF. He and Gabi Tolkowsky bought a very human touch to the sometimes overly dry and acedemic discussion panels - he is a great simplifyer.

Maarten also had a stint as a Sales Manager at 8*. I think during his time we may have had a perception of this being a stronger brand than it might be today - but that is just my perception and I do not sell their stones of have much to do with them these days.

Wwe are probably not the most professional crew, we have not used scripts, and we let things ramble where they ramble to - but that does allow you to get a feel for the person, and for that we make no apologies.

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 10/1/2006 10:30:54 PM
Author: Pricescope
thanks, should be fixed now

thanks you :}

part 2 is the best part glad I didn''t miss it.
He has a passion for diamonds that is for sure, there are some points I don''t really agree with him on but that''s kewl.
Awesome interview! thank you!

 

[Kaleigh]

Date: 10/2/2006 12:48:04 AM
Author: Garry H (Cut Nut)
Nice words Bill - small world !!!!!

Ira and Kaliegh, that is exactly what we set out to accomplish with these interviews - simply alow important people behind the scenes to be met in a relaxed and casual manner so that you can all meet and understand them.

Maarten is a very relaxed guy with a wonderful commonsense approach to diamonds. He also is one of the industries leading sales trainers (HoF university) and consumer educators (The Diamond Wizard). We first met in Moscow April 2004 when he attended the first Diamond Cut conference on behalf of HoF. He and Gabi Tolkowsky bought a very human touch to the sometimes overly dry and acedemic discussion panels - he is a great simplifyer.

Maarten also had a stint as a Sales Manager at 8*. I think during his time we may have had a perception of this being a stronger brand than it might be today - but that is just my perception and I do not sell their stones of have much to do with them these days.

Wwe are probably not the most professional crew, we have not used scripts, and we let things ramble where they ramble to - but that does allow you to get a feel for the person, and for that we make no apologies.

We don''t want to see a professional crew... What you guys captured was real, not staged, a conversation much as one that would occur in your own home. Of course we know, you were at the symposium, but it had the feeling like you were stting around the kitchen table if you will. That says a lot. So keep doing what you''re doing. Meeting the leaders in this industry, is a lot of fun. Garry you did a great job conducting this interview, you did what interviewers do best, you let Maarten''s words shine. Pun intended!! The last one you did, you talked over the person you were interviewing, this is a big improvement.

 

[lumpkin]

How interesting. I stayed up an hour past my bedtime to watch this! Very fun to see the experts talk about cut and how diamonds are marketed, the history of diamond grading, the "statement" that men feel pressured to make with what they buy for their girlfriends, etc.

Thank you for bring this to the forum. Highly enjoyable.

 

[mdx]

Very nice interview

Johan

 

[bae7]

I am supposed to be fixing dinner but instead I am here enthralled with this interview!! I really know nothing about diamonds, especially compared to all those on here. I just wanted to say that I have been reading PS since ordering my HOF Wondrous setting. It was quite expensive so I have been having doubts (will I really love it THAT much???). I feel a little better after having watched this video. But gosh, the wait is TORTURE!!! Thanks so much for posting this!

 

[bae7]

P.S. I missed the reasoning for putting him on the spot regarding choosing between two stones. The sound wasn''t clear.

 

[belle]

what a great interview. this is definitely one of my favorites so far. i really enjoyed the story about mr. de witte''s engagement ring for his wife. thanks for taking the time to put this together everyone. it was quite enjoyable and informative.

 

[JohnQuixote]

Great interview. Thank you Garry and Leonid for making it happen.

Maarten is one of the good guys in the trade. The views he shared about trade-named color/clarity and the cutting of his wife's diamond are put together extremely well in the IDCC transcript, for those who have it.

 

[pricescope]

Date: 10/3/2006 8:46:36 AM
Author: bae7
P.S. I missed the reasoning for putting him on the spot regarding choosing between two stones. The sound wasn't clear.

We asked many people to look at these two stones. Hopefully we'll publish more videos about that soon. See also Oldminer)

 

[bae7]

Thanks so much for that link - I joined after that interview. VERY impressed with David''s knowledge.

 

[wayne@gemex]

Just finished part 1.

I think Maarten had a very interesting perspective about which qualities to look for when buying a diamond. His point that you should look at how the diamond ''performs'' is so true. So many people are blinded by the technicalities. I agree, we should get back to basics and purchase diamonds based on our ''feelings'' and impression of the diamond rather than just the ''specs''.

The technicalities should really just be used when determining the price that you should pay for the diamond.

I can''t wait to see the next to episodes.

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 10/2/2006 12:48:04 AM
Author: Garry H (Cut Nut)

Wwe are probably not the most professional crew, we have not used scripts, and we let things ramble where they ramble to - but that does allow you to get a feel for the person, and for that we make no apologies.

that was my favorite part and the quote that still sounds out in my head was:

"consumers demand what they''ve been told to demand"

I don''t think it was your intent perhaps, but I think you showed quite excellently that what attracts our eye isn''t necessarily what looks best on paper.

All in all that was an enjoyable half hour